Wire-drawing reel



Nav. 2 1926. 1,605,281

J. H. REECE WIRE DRAWING REEL Filerd August 21, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inf/@7W Juan ff 125666@ Nov. 2 192e. i 1,605,281 4 J. H. lREECE WIRE DRAWNG REEL FuedAugust 21, 1924 2 sheets-smet g Patented Nov. 2, 1926.

STATES JUAN I-I. REECE, 0F JOLIET, ILLINOIS.

' WIRE-DRAWING REEL.

Application filed August 21, 1924. Serial No. 733,453.

My invention has for its obj ect the simplification and improvement of wire drawing reels. Heretofore it has been customary to mount a reel of this character on a revolving spindle which extended downwardly through the floor above which the reei is located, mechanism being provided in a pit or compartm-ent below the floor for driving the spindle of the reel. Commonly this was done by means of a counter shaft and beveled gearing, the shaft being driven directly usually by reducing gearing'V connected to a suitable motor. It was difficult or impossible to properly lubricate the spindle of the reel and furthermore the operating mechanism therefor was quite inaccessible and difficult to get at for repairs, replacements and the like. In my improved construction on the contrary the entire mechanism is located above the floor so that itis entirely accessible in all of its parts and furthermore it is so constructed that the gearing for driving the same runs in a pool of oil by which also proper lubrication is afforded for the journaled elements of the construction by and with which the reel proper is turned. y

My invention relates also to the means for removing the coils of wire after they are formed, from the reel. In m'achinerly7 of this kind it has been customary either to remove the coil by hand or to employ a transferring mechanism comprising a basket, the members of which enter recesses formed in thc reel for this purpose the coil being drawn around the stripper rame or basket. The basket or stripper frame was designed to collapse in order to remove the coil of wire therefrom. ln order to deposit the coil and remove the basket therefrom special provision or construction had to be made for receiving the reel so that the transferring device might be again collapsed in order to free it from the wire. ln my improved wire drawing reel the frame work of the machine is made in the form of a heavy casting adapted to contain a body of oil and the bottom of the casting is formed with sockets to receive stationary arbors or shafts which are locked against rotation therein and on one of which is sleeved the reel proper with the driving gear therefor and on the other arbor or stationary spindle is sleeved the gear by which the first mentioned gear is driven. The motor for driving the reel may be and preferably is mounted above and upon the casting referred to above, and the rotor thereof, which revolves on a vertical axis carries at or near its lower end a pinion which drives the last mentioned gear. Thus all of the gearing by which the reel is driven is of the spur type and revolves in lubricating yoil Aby which the parts are thoroughly lubricated. The verticalspindles referred to above are tightly fitted into their sockets so that even though they extend through the metal of the oil receptacle orhollow frame there is no opportunity for leakage. Furthermore, in my improved reel construction the device `for transferring the coil of wire after it is wound on the reel is adapted to engage beneath the wire of the coil from the outside of the latter and to deposit the wire'on any suitable support. @ther features and advantages of my invention will appear from the following description and claims.

In the accompanying drawings yforming a part of this specification I have illustrated for the purpose of exempliiication a preferred embodiment of my invention. It is to be understood` however, that the specific disclosure is for the purpose kof exemplification only and that the scope of the invention is defined in the following claims in which I have endeavored to distinguish it from the prior art without however relinquishing any feature thereof.

In the drawings Fig. l is a side elevation partly in vertical'scction of the preferred form of my inventionyFig. 2 a plan view of the reel proper and associated parts; Fig. 3 a vertical section of the same, and Fig. -l is a horizontal section showing a detail.

Except in the respects hereinafter pointed out the drum 4 may be of the usual construction in wire drawing reels. As heretofore stated, it is sleeved upon a vertical arbor, indicated at 5 secured in a hollow frame 6 which may be of cast metal. Said frame is in the form of a tank or receptacle adapted to receive a pool of lubricating oil 7 and a socket 8 is cast with said frame for the purpose of receiving and support-ing the arbor 5. The arbor fits snugly within the socket and is preferably vkeyed thereto at 9. In the particular form of the invention illustrated the arbor extends through the socket 8 at the bottom thereof and Vprojects upwardly a sufficient distance to form asuitable bearing for the reel. Asshown in Fig.

3 the reel or drum 4 is mounted upon the upper end of a. sleeve the upper end being reduced at 11 to form a shoulder 12 uponwhich the drum rests. Preferably the upper end of the sleeve l() is in the 'same horizontal plane as the top of the hub of the reel and a plate 13 is bolted to the hub and rests upon the end of the sleeve. r)The reel is driven from the sleeve in the usual manner by a pair of pawls 14 pivoted on a flange 16 on the sleeve and engaging an internal circular rack 15, see F ig. 3. The sleeve 10 is provided with a flange 17 and'between said flange and a flange 18 on a short sleeve 19, gear 20 is bolted at 21. The short sleeve 19 is formed with a bottom flange 22 which rests upon a seat 23 formed on the bottom of the cast frame about the bore of the socket 8. The drum, sleeve 10, gear wheel 20 and sleeve 19 turn as a unit about the stationary post or arbor 5.

ln a socket 24, substantially similar to socket 8 is mounted a vertical post or arbor l 25 which likewise extends vertically upwardly through the frame. On this last mentioned arbor is Journaled or sleeved a double gear wheel, one member of which 2G is in gear with the gear Wheel 20. lThe gear wheel 26 is formed with a hub or sleeve 27 and an upper flange 28, and between said flange and ay flange 29 on a short sleeve 30 is bolted the gear wheel 31, forming the other member of the double gear. The lower end of gear 2G is formed with a neck 32 and a flange 33, the latter of which rests upon a. seat 34 formed on the inside of the bottom of the hollow frame. rlhe upper end of the sleeve 30 is closed by plate 35, which may be similar to the plate 13 previously described.

A motor 36 is suitably mounted upon and above the frame and the shaft 37 of its rotor extends into the tank or hollow frame and carries a gear, 3S, which meshes with the gear 31 and drives the latter. The hollow frame is so formed, as shown in the drawing, as to receive the gearing above described below the upper rim thereof, so that by fitting the frame or tank with oil to about the level indicated the gearing all runs in oil, but by reason of the fact that lthe reducing gears, as well as the reel are mounted on sleeves which surround and are journaled upon stationary arbors or posts as described, there is no difliculty in absolutely sealing the tank against leakage. Furthermore, all ofthe parts, including the motor, are above the floor line and readily accessible.

Preferably, forced lubrication is employed for keeping the bearings between the respective posts and the parts journaled thereon lubricated. For this purpose, the gears 2G and 20 are caused to act as movable parts of a gear pump, by providing about the same and suitably locating an oil chamber 40,

which, as shown in Figure 4, communicates with the spaces between the engaging teeth of gears 2O and 26 as they approach the point of maximum engagement, whereby the oil is forced into said chamber. A pipe 41 leads from the bottom of this chamber downwardly and is branched at 42 and 43, the branches extending upwardly through the arbors which are bored for this purpose and communicate at their upper end as at 43 with the shallow chambers immediately above the arbors. rlhe arbors may be, and preferably are, formed with spiral oil channels or ducts 44, 45, leading downwardly from said chambers to distribute the oil throughout the bearing portions of the arbors. 'lhe oil from said channels furnishes the bearing surfaces with lubrication and escapes back into the tank or hollow frame.

ln order to provide for the removal of the coil of wire when formed from the reel by the mechanism to be presently described, a wire supporting ring 49 surrounds the reel and rests upon the cover plate 46 which covers the hollow frame or tank containing the oil. 'llhe upper surface of the ring slopes outwardly and is formed with radial ribs or projections 49a on which the coil of wire, after it is completed, rests.

For removing the coil from the ring 49 l employ a multiple-armed tongs or grapple 50, which is adapted to be lowered about the reel and ring in an expanded condition. rlhe arms 51 of the tongs are formed with inwardly projecting ends or lingers 51LL which, when the grapple is lowered about the reel, enter certain of the recesses between the ribs 45d. ln stripping or raising the coil from the supporting ring the first movement of the tongs or grapple causes the lingers to move inwardly under the coil of wire and when the grapple is bodily raised the coil is carried with it, supported on the fingers. ln the preferred form shown the arms or tong members, 51, are pivoted at their upper inner ends to a spider, 52. rlhe latter comprises a sleeve, 53, through the hollow of which extends a reciprocating rod,

54, to the lower end of which latter is attached a spider, Links N56 are pivoted at their inner ends to the last mentioned spider and at their respective outer ends at 57 to the tong arms Bar is formed at its upper end with an eye, 58, by which the tongs or grapple is suspended from a strap, as will be presently described. A locking toggle composed of links 80, 81, extending between the spiders and provided with a trip is used for locking the grapple in distended position. Preparatory to lowering the grapple about the reel and supporting ring it is distended by locking the toggle. Before pulling upward on the grapple the toggle is broken so that the pull of the veri bar l54 on the spider 55 will first draw the arms 51 inward to cause the fingers 51a to engage beneath the coil of wire. The further upward movement of the rod 54, as above explained, carries the grapple bodily upward with the coil supported thereon. Preferably the tongs or grapple is suspended from a carriage by which it may be carried to any desired location on an area of suitable size in order to deposit or stack the wire coils as they are formed. For this purpose I have shown a carriage 72, the wheels 7 3 of which run on tracks 74 of suitable length, said tracks being mounted upon a second carriage 75, the wheels of which run on tracks 77 of suitable length, extended at right angles to tracks 74. On the carriage 62 is journaled a friction pulley 61 driven through reducing gear 90, 91, by a suitable electric motor. A frictionstrap 63 is connected at one end of the eye 58 of rod 54 of the grapple, the other end of the strap being carried to a point where it may be conveniently grasped by. the operator. In the construction shown the strap passes under idler 64 and over idler 64a and its lower end is provided with a loop 65 of a shape for convenient manipulation by the hand of the operator. The loop is normally passed over a hook 66 carried by the lower end of a post 67 projecting downwardly from carriage 62. Preferably hook 66 is formed on a lever 66 which may be constructed and used as a switch to control the current through the motor, the lever or switch being so balanced or weighted as'to be normally held in the position shown in Fig. 1 by the strap and the weight of the grapple, in which position the circuit of the motor is open, and to drop to close the circuit when the loop 65 is removed from hook 66. The proper electric connections for this purpose will be obvious to any mechanic and therefore itis not deemed necessary to describe them.

Then a coil is to be removed from the ring 4921 the grapple is locked in the distended position shown in Fig. 1 and lowered about the coil until the fingers 51a rest upon the ring 49 adjacent the outer periphery thereof and between the ribs on said ring. The operator then grasps the loop 65 and removes it from the hook 66 which closes the switch and starts the motor which drives the friction pulley 61. The tension on the strap is so relaxed by the operator that the grapple descends notwithstanding the revolution of the friction pulley until the fingers 51aL rest on the ring as above explained. The operator then breaks the toggle lock and draws upon the strap 63, causing it to engage the friction pulley with sufficient pressure so that the revolution of the pulley raises the grapple. The first movement of the grapple is, as heretofore explained, to

moved outward by means of the toggle andv locked in outer again raised.

By providing a grapple which engages the coil from the exterior and cooperates with the passes in the annular plate or guard ring provided for the purpose, it is position and the grapple unnecessary to modify the reel construction and the coils may be deposited on any substantially horizontal surface.

In the construction shown and described each reel 'is an entirely independent element. All of the working parts are readily accessible and the lubrication problem is reduced to a minimum. The reel can be used with any ordinary or approved form of die and I have conventionally illustrated at A one such form mounted on the frame.

I claim:

1. In a wire reeling machine, a receptacle adapted to contain a pool of oil, a pair of stationary arbors extending upwardly into the receptacle from the bottom thereof, a wire reel sleeved upon one of said arbors, a gear connected to said reel and located within the receptacle, a gear on the other said arbor and engaging the first mentioned gear means for rotating the second said gear, a cover plate on the receptacle between the reel and the first said gear and a wire supporting ring surrounding the reel.

2. In a. wire reeling machine, a framework adapted to contain a pool of oil, a pair of stationary arbors extending upwardly into the receptacle from the bottom thereof, a wire reel having a sleeve mounted on one of said arbors, a gear mounted on said sleeve, a reducing gear mounted on the other said arbor, a motor mounted on the frame and a gear on the rotor of said motor engaging the reducing gear, a cover plate on vthe receptacle between the reel and the first said gear vand a wire supporting ring on said cover plate surrounding the reel.

3. In a wire reeling machine, a receptacle for a pool of oil having a pair of sockets formed in the bottom wall thereof, a pair of arbors rigidly mounted in the respective sockets and closely fitting the same, a reel `having a depending sleeve journaled upon one of said arbors, a gear wheel mounted on the sleeve and rotatable therewith, reducing gearing mounted on the other of said arbors, one of the gears of which engages the gear ofthe reel, a gear engaging the other gear of said reducing gear, and a motor for driving the last mentioned gear,

lio

all of said gears being below the level of the oil, a @over plate on the receptacle between the reel and the first said gear and a wire supporting; ring surrounding the reel.

4. In a wire reeling machine, a. frame adapted to contain a pool of oil, a pair of arbors rigidly mounted in said frame and extending upward from the bottom thereof, a wire reel journaled upon one of said arbors, a gear wheel connected to said reel to be revoluble therewith, a second gear wheel meshing' with the first gear wheel, a chamber partially covering said gear wheels into which oil is forced by the movement thereof, and conduits Connected to said chamber adapted to force oil therefrom into the bearings o1 the machine.

5.111 a wire reeling machine, a frame adapted to cont-ain pool of oil, a pair or' arbors rigidly mounted in said frame and extendingl upward from the bottom thereof, a wire reel journaled on one of said arbor-s, a gear wheel Connected to said reel to be revoluble therewith, a second gear wheel mounted on the other arbor and meshing` with the irst gear wheel, a chamber open toward said gear wheel into which oil is 'rorced thereby, and pipes connected to said chamber and leading to the bearing portions oi the arbor.

G. in a wire reeling machine, a frame adapted to contain a pool ot oil, a pair of arbore rigidly mounted in said frame and extending upward vfrom the bottom thereoi, a wire reel having a sleeve mounted on one ot said arbore and extending slightly above the end thereof, the upper end of the sleeve being closed over said arbor, a gear on said sleeve for driving the reel, a gear journaled on the other said arbor and meshing with the iirst-named gear, a sleeve connected to the last-mentioned gear and extending above and closed over the last-mentioned arbor so as to form an oil chamber above the latter, a chamber one side of which is open to said gears at their intermeshing` points whereby said gears i'ioree oil into said chamber, and pipes leading from the last-mentioned chamber to the chambers above the arbors for lubricating the latter.

JUAN H. REECE. 

